Vehicle tire



Aug. 3'-, '1926. 1,594,956 W. HONSBERGER 4 VEHICLE TIRE 'Filed August 28, 1924 .'zwzfy.4 Z

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iin-lil@ l/VILLIAM HONSVBEBGER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

VEHICLE TIRE.

Application iled August 2S, 1924. Serial No. 734,634.

providing the necessary resiliency being sub-v stituted' for such air tube.

Another objectof my invention is the provision of a resilient tire embodying in its structure radiallydisposed spiral springs guided in their movements against buckling connected at their outer ends by a continuous Llerible retainer element consisting of links connected together and having ine-ans to retain the outer ends of said springs so las to prevent lateral or circum ferential displacement thereof. y

A further object of my invention is to provide a resilient tire devoid of air and capable of yielding at points of contact with the 'road surface, or any projection thereof, or obstruction thereon, independent of the remaining portions of the tire so that the tire will in effect, yield under weight or external pressure in the same manner as a pneumatic tire.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a resilient tire of novel and simple construction, the parts of which can be easily assembled preparatory to attaching the tire to a wheel, and which can be easily removed from a wheel.

VVit-h the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the subjoined claims.

in the drawings z- Fig. 1 is a circumferential section through a portion of a wheel equipped with my improved tire.

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken n line 2-2, Fig. 1. Y

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the flexible retainer element whereby the outer ends of the series of springs within the tire are connected together.

.4 is a sectional perspective view of the annularjspring support showing'one of the spring retainer and guide pins projecting outwardly therefrom.

in the drawings I have shown my improved tire in connection with one form of automobile wheel, but it will be 'apparent that the tire is adapted for use on wheels of various constructions.

In the type of wheel shown in the drawings the numeral 5 designates the wheel felloe, connected to the usual radial spokes 6, and having a band 7 encircling the same; said band being provided along its inner marginal portion with a seating and retainer flange 8, the seat of the same being formed at 9 to receive a demountable rim-10 to which the tire 11 is applied.

`As is common in wheel constructions, the, rim is of greater diameter than the band 7 so that it may be lseated on theseat 9 and be maintained in spaced relation to the body portion of the band, the space between Vthe two being designated by the numeral 12. This demountable rim may be of any desired construction and may, for example, be separable circumferentially, as at 13, and for this purpose one end of said rim is increased in thickness to provide an inwardlyprojecting transverse rib 14," which bears against the outer surface of the band 7. @n theouter surface of the thickened end of said rim, a transverse depression 16 lis formed from which a lock lug 17 projects that enters an opening `18 formed in the opposite end of said rim. VIf desired, however, the ends of the open rim, as it may be termed, may be connected in any other' approved manner.

The rim l() hasthe usual outstanding lianges 19 at opposite edges thereof, providing for said rim a channeled formation, into the channel of which the tire proper is adapted to be fitted. l

The tire incl des the usual outer casing or shoe 2O employed in pneumatic tires, and in lieu of the usual inner air tube I have substituted a flexible and yielding mechanical structure which comprises a spring support or supporting ring 21,9. series of spiral springs 22, retainer and guide pins 23, and a flexible endless retainer element 24, all comy bined and (3o-operating to maintain the casing or shoe 2O in expanded condition. The supporting ring 21 ts between the base portions 25 of the casing or shoe, and is flared outwardly to conform to the curvature' of rsaid base portions at their inner sides, and

it also has at its inner periphery laterally projecting flanges 26 on which the base portions et the tire rest. Forined in the supporting ring 2l at regular intervals around the saine are openings 27, Vpreterably elongated, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, and having their inner ends flared, as at 28.

Fitted into said openings .troni the inner side of said supporting' ring, are the retainer and guide pins 23, which have flared heads 29 adapted to tit the flared inner ends of the openings 27, said pns being` ot greater diniension in one' direction preferably with reference to the circumference o't the sup porting` ring-than in the other direction, and by reason ot the pins bei titted into the elongated openings 2T, theyY are prevented 'roin tiirning` Within said ring. A arey therefore disposed= radially around the supporting-ring and project a considerable distance troni said ring into the casingr or shoe 20. Disposed over said pins and bearing against the outer surface of the snpportingring are Washers 30 which are pret erably elongated" and arranged so 'that the ends of each Washer abut ai riinst the ends of adjoining Washers. Each Washer has an elongated opening termed therein to correspond to the shape of the retainer or guide pin over Which itis ptt iitied, and the side edn'es thereoil are preferably shaped to contorni to the flaring sides ofthe supporting ring, as cle'ai'l i shown in Fig'. 2, said side edges being in Contact with the inner surface ot the casing r shoe 20.

rl"`he springs 22 preferably coinprise tivoV pre ire, and at the saine tinie, the coniplete spring,` so Atoi-inedv` occupies comparatively little space Within the shoe or casing, A spring is positioned around each retainer or guide pin and bears With its inner end against t-lie Washer placed over said pin. lilith the springs so positioned, they exend outwardly -a distance beyond the outer ends ot' said pns. The tlexible endless retainer eleinent 2d coinprises a series et links flexibly connected together, each lint: being;l irved transversely and having;` inwardly curvedtiangest at opposite Vedges and aV boss 35 centrally disposed on itsl inner side, which adaptedY .to lit into one oi" the' springs'V l22.,.wlach linl; has a transversely/J# disposed sletv @o at These pins' onee'iid thereof and Y r eiid, tlie hoei et eiac'h link being passed through a slot or an adjacent liniz. rlfhe fiexible retainereleinent is placed around the circumferential series et springs With the inner sides ofthe links thereof bearing against said springs and the bosses ot said links litting into the outer ends et said springs, the circumference of the tl'eiible endless eleinent being such that upon compression ot niiniber oit springs, it inay be placed around the series et springs and be held in place bythe expansive qualities oi said springs. Y.

The inechanical structure substituted tor the usual air tube and Which-as stated, includes the'supporting` ring 21; springs 22; the pins 23; the retainer element 24, and' 'When used, the Washers SO-niay be said to torni an endless iinitarystriicture when the several parts thereof are assembled', and

over this unitary structure the casingr orshoe placed, the tread portion of the casing;y

or shoe bearing against the series-ot links y33 torininp,` the tlexible retainer eleinent, While the base portions of the shoe areY seated against the lateral flanges 26 of the supporting ring,` and bear against opposite sides of sail supporting ring, externally of said lll 4 rl`he complete tire thus termed has its base which includes the base portions et the casingl or shoe and the supporting` ringllitted into the deinountable riin l0., this being accomplished by inserting the rini With its ends separated into the Wheel opening; of the tire, then snappingv or placingA the riin in position against the inner peripho 1 ll ery oi' tiie tirerand locking the ends or the riin. T'ft/lith' a tire thus attached to the rini, it placed iipon the Wheel in the customary inanner'; that is, the tire with its riin is po sitioned over the Wheel ot the vehicle and the inner angle of the riin seatedV against the seat 9 'torined on the seating or retainer flange 8 et the band 7.

The riin 'l0 is held in position by retainer clips 88, which may be ot the usual construction in which an inwar-dly-diieeted lip 39 is forced into the space 12 between the band 7 and the riin lO and an outwardly-directed etainer lip il-O bears againstthe riin et the tire at its outer angle and outer side.' Y

lis is coininon in retainer clips Ot this hind, each clip is provi-ded with a vertically elongated boltA hole el. Bolts 42 are passed through the telloe of the Wheel troni the inner side and their outer threaded ends project through the bolt holes of the retainer clips and have securing: nuts 4:3 threaded thereon, which bear against the clips and When tightened torce the lips 39 et theelips irn l. into the space l2 between the band of theivheel and the'riin ofthe" tire and the lips 40 againstV theeuter angleanel ings, the base portions of the casing or shoe 1 n 1 are widened inwardly, and by reason or tne supporting ring 2i being flared outwardly, the tire will be firmly held between opposite` sides of said supporting ring and the inner .1 i 1 t 4 1 sides of tne outstanding flanges i9 on Lne rim 10.

By fiexibly connecting the outer ends of 'l the series of springs together through themedium of the pivotally connected links 33, any set of three springs may be compressed independently of the remaining springs. issuining a projection in the road to strike centrally underneath one of the springs, said spring will be compressed to a certain degree while the two adjacent springs will be slightly compressed, and with such slight compression they will be flexed toward the intermediate spring, owing to the longitudinal half of the adjacent springs at one side of the center being subjected to greater pressure than the other longitudinal. half of each of said adjacent springs. The action, therefore, of the tire is similar to that of a pneumatic tire, and immediately pressure is relieved from the outside of the casing, the springs will return the same to normal position. Furthermore, by flexibly connecting the outer ends or" the springs, the tread portion of the casing or shoe is subjected to substantially equal internal pressure along all point-s in the circumference thereof. Displacement ofl the springs is impossible, dueto the projecting pins extending partly through the saine, said pins being ily retained in position due to the inner ends thereof being in contact with the outer surface of the rim l0.

lilith the mechanical structure, or cushioning means, as it may be termed, inserted into the casing or shoe, the tire can be applied to the rim or removed therefrom in exactly the saine manner as an ordinary pneumatic tire having an inner tube therein.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim is z l. ln a vehicle tire, the combination with a casing and a rim having outstanding flanges, of a ring Within said rim having an outwardly-flared portion between which and said outstanding flanges the base portions of said tire are disposed and having also laterally projecting flanges against which said base portions are seated, a series of pins passed through said ring from the inner side and extending outwardly therefron into said casing, a series of spiral springs, each surrounding the outwardly extending portions of one of said pins, said springs bearing with their inner ends against said ring, and a flexible element surrounding the series of springs and bearing against the inner side of the tread portion or said casing, said flexible element comprisingpivotally-connected links having exterior curved surfaces bearing against the inner side of the? tread portion of said tire and having the outer of said springs bearing ust the inner sides of said links.

Yn a vehicle tire, the combination with and a rim having outstanding D f a supporting ring tting into said rim and having lateral flanges and an outstanding outwardly -i ared portion between which andthe Langes of said rim the base portions of said casing are adapted to be clamped, said base portions resting against said-lateral flanges, a circumferential series of non-circular aixs passed through said ring and extending outwardly. therefrom into said casing, afcircuinferential series of spiral springs within said casing, each spring surrounding one of said pins and bearing with its inner end aga-inst said ring, a fiexible endless spring retainer surrounding said series of springs and comprising pivotally connected links, each link having inwardly-curved portions at opposite edges and a boss on its inner side.y the outer end of each or" said springs bearing against the inner side of one of said links around the boss thereof.

3. In a vehicle tire, the combination with a casing and a rim having outstandin flanges, of a supporting ring within sai rim bearing thereagainst, said supporting ring having an outwardly-flared portion and lateral flanges, the base portions of said tire resting upon said lateral flanges and being clamped between the outwardly-dared portion of said-ring and the flanges of said rim, non-circular pins extending through said ring at regular intervals and projecting outwardly therefrom into said casing, a washer surrounding each of said pins and bearing against said ring, the side edges of said washer being flared outwardly to form a continuation `of the outwardly-flared portion of said ring and adjoining washers abutting end to end, a spiral spring surrounding each of said pins and bearing with its inner end against one of said Washers, and a flexible spring retainerinterposed between said springs and the tread portion of said tire.

4. In a vehicle tire, thecombination With a casing and a rim having outstanding flanges, of a supporting ring Within said rim bearing thereagainst, said supporting ring having an outwardly-flared portion and opposite lateral flanges, the base portions of said tire resting upon said lateral flanges and being clamped between the outwardlyflared portion of said ring and the flanges of said rim, non-circular pins extending through said ring atregular intervals and projecting outwardly therefrom into said casing, a washer surrounding each of said pins and bearing against said ring, the side ends edges of said Washers being flared outwardly to forni a Continuation of the outwardlyiared portion of said ring, adjoining Washers abutting end to end7 a spiral spring snrrounding each of said pins and hearing` With its inner end against one of said Washers, and a iexgible spring retainer interposed between said springs and the tread portion of said tire and Comprising` transversely Curved links, each having an opening at one end and a hook at its other end adapted to engage the opening of an adjacent link.

5. n a Vehicle tire, the Combination with a easing and a ianged rim, of a supporting ring` bearing against said rim between the flanges thereof and between which and said flanges said casing is clamped, a series of spiral springs surrounding said supporting ring and eaeh comprising two spiral spring` ineinners, one threaded into the other and having the eonvointions thereof entering the spaces between the eonvoiutions of said other, and a tiexihie spring retainer interposed between the outer ends of said springs and the tread portion of said casing and bearing against both.

In testiinony whereof I ax my signature.

WILLIAM HONSBERGER. 

